Palace will not interfere in quarrel between Tulfo, Bautista

June 10, 2019

Malacanang on Monday said President Rodrigo Duterte won’t interfere with the affairs of Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista and Radio broadcaster Erwin Tulfo.

“As we said, (the) President doesn’t intrude into any conflict between two individuals or groups,” Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing.

Panelo said it’s their “personal thing” and will leave to the two to resolve the issue.

Tulfo lamented Bautista for declining for an interview and both the police and military expressed dismay over his action.

His security detail and firearms were recalled by the PNP saying his security detail will undergo review and his license to own and possess firearms expired last May 3.

As of now, Philippine National Police ( PNP) General Oscar Albayalde said there is no decision whether the security detail of Tulfo will be returned.

He clarified that the process of reapplying, recalling and reviewing of security detail is for everyone and not only for the Tulfo brothers.

“As I have said if they want to reapply they can always reapply but then there is no assurance that the application will be approved… They have not reapplied yet for security detail so how can we bring them back?” he said.

With regards to Tulfo's firearms, Police Brigadier General Valeriano De Leon, director of Firearms and Explosives Office said they sent the letter through email and registered mail.

“We have not yet monitored that he surrenderred (his firearms),” said De Leon.

He said they did not set a deadline but if he fails to surrender it for safekeeping they will be forced to take police action against him.

Tulfo apologized to Bautista and though he said he accepted it, the cabinet secretary gave conditions. One of them is donating P300,000 to different military and police institutions.

For the part of the Tulfo brothers, they shared their sentiments on social media saying they find Bautista's conditions “too much” and “unacceptable”. Ella Dionisio/DMS